Merge Info Center Records to Create a Document Using a Microsoft Word Merge Template

Use the merge feature to create a document that contains data from one or more Info Center records.

This topic applies only when you use a merge template that was created with Microsoft Word to create a merged document.

There are two parts to creating a merged document:

  • You select specific Info Center records (for example, employees) to include in the document.
  • You select the merge template to use. This determines the document's formatting and the data from the Info Center records to include in the document.
Prerequisites:
  • The merge feature is available only if the Vision CRM module is activated.
  • Before you can create a merged document, you must create a merge template in Word, and then add the template to the appropriate Info Center in Configuration > General > Merge Templates.
  • The CRM check box in the Type of Role section on the General tab in Configuration > Security > Roles must be selected for your security role.

To create a merged document in an Info Center using a Microsoft Word merge template, complete the following steps:

  1. From the Vision Navigation menu, click Info Center, and open the Info Center that contains the data that you want to include in the merged document.
  2. On the Info Center form, use the Search field to open one or more records that you want to include in the merged document. In the record Lookup in this field, you can select all the records that you want to include if you want to merge multiple records in one document. You can also select the specific records to merge in the next steps.
  3. On the Info Center form toolbar, click Merge, and select one of the following actions:
    Option Description
    Merge Current <record>

    Select this option to merge data from the current record that is displayed on the Info Center form.

    Merge Active Group

    Select this option to merge data from all the Info Center records that are currently active. These are the multiple Info Center records that you selected in the Lookup dialog box from the Search field on the Info Center form.

    Select <record> to Merge

    Select this option to ignore any records that you selected in the Lookup dialog box from the Search field on the Info Center form. Instead, you can select the specific records to merge on the Merging dialog box when you continue with the next steps.

  4. On the Merging dialog box, complete the following actions to select a merge template to use:
    1. Click the down-arrow in the field to the left of the Add Favorites button; from the drop-down list select a different group of merge templates to display in the Merge Templates grid.
    2. Click a row in the Merge Templates grid to select a Word merge template to use to create the merged document. Word merge templates have Microsoft Word (.rtf) in the Type column.
  5. To select or change records that are specified for the merge, click in the Selection field in the grid on the Merging dialog box for the selected merge template, and then click Search to open the Lookup dialog box and select records.
  6. Optional. To create a Vision activity for the merge, select the Create Activity check box. The merge activity will be added to the Activities grid in the Info Center for all the records that are included in the merged document.
  7. Click the Merge button.
  8. On the Merged Document dialog box, enter a file name for the merged document in the Merged Document Name field and click OK.
  9. On the File Download dialog box complete one of the following actions:
    • Click Save to open a standard Windows Save As dialog box to save the merged document to the desired location. After the file is saved, you are returned to the Merging dialog box.
    • Click Open to open and view the merged document in Microsoft Word. You can save the file from within Word to a desired location. When you close the document, you are returned to the Merging dialog box.
  10. If you selected the Create Activity check box on the Merging dialog box:
    1. Complete the fields in the Activity dialog box that displays. The activity Type field prefills with Merge.
    2. When you finish, click OK. The merge is added to the Activities grid in the Info Center for each record that is included in the merge.
  11. When you finish creating merged documents, click Close on the Merging dialog box.
Parent Topic: Procedures